


Lessons in Social Dynamics

by StarWatcher



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Friendship, Gen, Holidays, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-10
Updated: 2003-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24825067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarWatcher/pseuds/StarWatcher
Summary: Blair mixes Christmas and sentinel sensitivity.
Kudos: 1
Collections: Artifact Storage Room 3





	Lessons in Social Dynamics

* * *

* * *

Blair spoke from his spot at the kitchen table, without looking up from his laptop. “Hey, Jim, I’ve found the answer to Christmas shopping for all the ladies on my list. There’s this site --”

“‘ _All_ the ladies’, Chief? As in more than one?” Jim chuckled as he turned to the sports page. “I thought you were between girlfriends right now. And if you’re not, talking plural could get you in trouble with some of them -- or all of them. Didn’t Sam give you enough problems?” 

“ _Ji-im_! I’m talking friendship gifts, not girlfriend gifts! Little things like this help to lubricate the gears of social interaction, so to speak. It helps to stay on the good side of the people who can make my life easier, or a pain in the butt.” 

“You lost me, Chief. Who are these mysterious people?” 

Blair shook his head pityingly as he clicked on another link. “Jim, Jim, Jim. I _know_ you know that barking at people is not the most effective way to encourage cooperation. Other people may believe that glaring, Neanderthal façe;ade you put on, but not me.” 

“Sandburg, I don’t need a lesson in social dynamics. I’m just curious about who these ‘ladies’ are that you need to butter up.” 

“Well...” he leaned back in his chair and started enumerating on his fingers, “...there’re the librarians, Donna, Linda, and Nancy. Of course it’s part of their job to research materials and hold stuff for the T.A’s, but it doesn’t hurt to say ‘Thank you’. And Emily, the secretary at the Anthro department, and her assistant Charlotte -- it can make a difference whether my stuff gets handled and copied first or last. And Sadie the donut-cart girl; haven’t you ever noticed that she _always_ has at least one left of the banana-bran muffins for me and a buttermilk donut for you? That deserves recognition. And Rhonda and Megan, of course. And --”

“Okay, Chief, okay! It was just a general question; I don’t need all the gory details. So, what’s your great solution?”

“Like I said, I found this site, and they’ll make soaps and bath salts and bath oils to order -- I can select shape, color and fragrance. So I can get a ‘different’, individualized present for each lady, but they’re all on the same ‘level’ -- no hidden hurt feelings because someone else got a ‘better’ gift. And they’re pretty inexpensive, too; I can afford to get a dozen or more. 

“Come to think of it...” He reached out to click on another page. “It says here that the soaps are made with glycerin and Vitamin E oil. Maybe you should try a bar; it sounds like they would be sentinel-friendly on your skin. What scent would you like?” 

Jim passed him on the way to renew his cup of coffee, while another click took Blair to the list of fragrances. “Of course, there aren’t too many masculine scents, but maybe cinnamon orange or Hawaiian rain or juniper breeze... Wait! Here ya’ go! Sage!” He turned to waggle his eyebrows and cast an evil grin at his friend just as Jim set a fresh cup of coffee within easy reach. 

Jim offered the expected head-swat, which Blair avoided with practiced ease, but seemed intrigued. He peered at the computer screen over Blair’s shoulder. “You may have something there, Chief. The unscented stuff I use _has_ a scent -- the soap chemicals -- just no perfume. It’s better than the perfumed stuff, but still not pleasant. You think maybe they would mix up a bar with half the usual amount of scent? It might hide the soap chemical smell without being too overpowering for me. What d’ya’ think?” 

“Good idea, man,” he replied neutrally, manfully hiding his internal smirk. _Yes! He took the bait!_ “Maybe get a couple of bars at half-strength and a couple at quarter-strength. Maybe even a couple at eighth-strength. I can use whichever doesn’t work for you.” 

“Yeah, I think you’ve got something there, Chief. Show me that list of fragrances.” He scanned the list as Blair scrolled down. “Citrus might not be too sweet. Maybe ocean? Or rain forest? Hell, Chief, this is no good. Ordering scents on the Internet, there’s no telling what those names actually smell like.” 

“Hey, no problem, man. I’ll e-mail them, explain that we want a very subtle scent that’s not sweet. We can get several; whatever you or I don’t like can be spread out among the ladies at the P.D.” 

“Good; you do that, and let me know what my part of the bill is.” He went back to the couch, but paused before he picked up the newspaper. “Chief?” He waited till Blair looked up. “You really didn’t need to go through that little charade. Thanks for looking out for me.” 

Busted! He should have known that he couldn’t really put one over on his sentinel. Blair shrugged and grinned. “No problem, man; all part of the service. We aim to please.”

The guide returned to his computer as the sentinel returned to his reading, each taking comfort from the knowledge that the other cared. In this season of caring, this was undoubtedly the most precious gift of all. 

* * *

**~The End~**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> In my Highlander Forum, one of the members had been searching for exotic-scented bath salts and soaps, and recommended a particular site (which seems to no longer be available). I visited their page, and they claimed to make their products with “essential oils and fragrances”. _~Bing!~_ Switchman, and poor Jim sticking his nose in every bottle in the shop. <g>
> 
> The bath salts and soaps -- as well as bubble bath, bath and body oil, massage oil, and lotion -- were advertised made to order, with a choice of 70+ fragrances and 20 colors. I wanted to share the information with the Sentinel lists I was on, so I knocked out this little ditty as “payment” for making an off-topic post. Since absolutely nothing happens, it didn’t take too long. I may well have used it for SentinelAngst dues at some point, but I don’t have that info in my notes.


End file.
